


and yet he kept the pay

by Key-Anon (para_dox_normal)



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Dream Team SMP Setting (Video Blogging RPF), Dead Toby Smith | Tubbo, Depressed TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Dream Smp, Evil Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Ghost Toby Smith | Tubbo, Ghostbur, Ghostubbo, Hurt TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Lonely TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prisoner TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Traumatized Tommyinnit (Video Blogging RPF), What-If
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:35:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29077203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/para_dox_normal/pseuds/Key-Anon
Summary: Punz’s gaze landed on his sword once again. It was made of netherite. Crafted from the ingots he got from Tommy. His grip tightened, turning his knuckles white.He regretted not going. No use in denying it. He had been torn and he made the wrong choice. He told himself that Tommy was going to beat Dream, that he and Tubbo would pull through, but he knew deep down that he was wrong. But he listened to the easy voice and stayed right where he was.And yet he kept the pay.Sometimes there is no happy ending.But then again, there’s no such thing as an end too, now is there?
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Dream SMP Ensemble & TommyInnit, Just all of them I'm tired of tagging, Toby Smith | Tubbo & Wilbur Soot, Tommyinnit & Tubbo, Tommyinnit & Wilbur Soot
Comments: 3
Kudos: 151





	1. “Then neither can I.” (Prologue)

Tommy glared at Dream, only taking a moment to put down his dinner after the masked man entered his cell.

“Hello Tommy.” The unsettling mask was tinted orange due to the lava quietly gurgling behind him.

Tommy didn’t respond. After another few moments of glaring, Tommy turned away and picked the potato back up, ripping into it with clear anger. Behind him Dream sighed.

“You can’t stay quiet forever. Eventually you’re going to be starved for another person and then you will have no choice but to speak.” Dream said dully. Tommy heard several responses ring through his head, from “FUCK YOU!” to, “YOU’RE A BITCH!” but he stayed silent for once. Dream continued. “It’s been three weeks, you’ll crack. You did before.”

Tommy never wanted anything but to punch Dream in the face. Even if he knew that Dream would never kill him, ignoring him was the route he chose and no matter how much he hated and regretted it, he was going to annoy Dream into the afterlife. Tommy closed his eyes and tuned Dream’s evil monologuing out until he fell asleep. 

Around two hours later Tommy awoke to laughter. A strange thing to wake to in a prison, that’s for sure. He opened his eyes and there he was. Tubbo. Well, Ghostbo as he called himself. 

“Hello Tommy! Welcome back!” 

“Hey Tubbo.” He responded hoarsely. Ghostbo visits were uncommon, although he knew that Ghostbo didn’t go see anyone else. Tommy tended to ignore that fact and just enjoy his presence while he was there.

“I wonder when we’re going back to L’Manburg. I can’t wait! I know I’m dead so I’m technically not president anymore, but I’m sure whoever is in charge now will welcome us back with open arms. When can we go back?” Ghostbo asked.

Tommy’s heart ached. The last thing Ghostbo remembered was hanging out with Tommy on the bench after becoming president. He couldn’t remember that Wilbur was dead, and he had no clue that L’Manberg was gone for good now. He also had no clue how he died.

“I need to stay here, but you can go back whenever you want. Why don’t you do that?”

Ghostbo tilted his head in confusion. “But I can’t? You wouldn’t be there and that would be stupid.”

Tommy loved the Ghostbo visits, but these parts only made him sad.

“I’m sorry Ghostbo, I just can’t leave.”

“Then neither can I. After all, who am I without you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I'm just going to keep making new works and leaving old ones behind but here I go anyways lol, I have a plot in mind but I'm winging most of this so bear with me. Also this will be the shortest chapter, as it is a prologue.


	2. "At least, he hoped."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That’s why Punz knew that Techno would help him.  
> At least, he hoped.

_Punz watched as Tommy and Tubbo walked down the prime path for the last time. He glanced at his sword._ _Everyone was saying goodbye to them. Part of them knew he should want them dead. The other part of him was cheering for him to succeed._

_ Punz watched as Tommy left with Tubbo. _

_ Punz sat still as the people looked at each other with mixed emotions. He knew it would be easy. A single sentence. Three words. “Let’s help them.” _

_ He could feel them on the tip of his tongue. But… he didn’t say anything. He didn’t quite know why. But soon people were dispersing and the opportunity was gone. _

_ An hour later while Punz was sitting in his house, still agonizing over his decision, when a chilling message popped up in the chat. _

**_Tubbo_ was slain by Dream using [Nightmare]_ **

-

Punz’s gaze landed on his sword once again. It was made of netherite. Crafted from the ingots Tommy gave him. His grip tightened, turning his knuckles white.

He regretted not going. No use in denying it. He had been torn and he made the wrong choice. He told himself that Tommy was going to beat Dream, that he and Tubbo would pull through, but he knew deep down that he was wrong. But he listened to the easy voice and stayed right where he was. He had been scared.

And yet he kept the pay.

It was more than Dream had ever given him. 

And yet still he stood with the masked bastard.

…

What was he doing?

He needed to fix this.

-

Techoblade was minding his own business, brewing potions and relishing in the death of L’Manberg. Phil was out so he had only his thoughts to entertain him. It felt a bit ridiculous to still be celebrating L’Manberg’s demise as it happened weeks ago, but it was quite the accomplishment. He tried to tell them, he even helped them in the beginning. But they didn’t listen. It was only right, government would and will ruin everything it touches. 

Shaking him out of his thoughts, there was a knock at the door. Techno didn’t get many friendly visitors. He picked up his sword, hiding it in his cape. He made his way downstairs and peeked through a window. Punz. Why would Punz have any business there?

Deeming him easy enough to kill, Techno opened the door. Before he could get a word out Punz walked into the house.

“How much do you hate Tommy?” He asked.

Techno, a little miffed at the rudeness, answered gruffly. “He betrayed me. What do you want?”

Punz ignored the question. “I was asking if you hated him, not if he betrayed you.”

Techno closed the door with an annoyed sigh. Punz clearly wasn’t going for a little while. He folded his arms. “Listen here Punz, I’m not going to participate in whatever game you’re playing. Why are you here, and what do you want?”

Punz sighed, resigning to answer the question. “I’m here because I want your help to break Tommy out of the prison.”

Techno’s first instinct was to say no, of course. But he was curious as to why the Dream SMP knight wanted to break out Dream’s number one enemy. “And why would you do that? While on the topic, why would I do that?”

Punz glanced at his sword. Techno tensed and the sword hidden in his cape became a little bit heavier. His eyes widened as Punz pointed his sword at him. Techno immediately whipped his sword out, ready to strike but Punz lowered the sword onto the ground.

“That sword was made with netherite that Tommy gave me. And I didn’t help him.” After letting Techno see the sword, Punz picked the sword back up, placing it in its holster. His eyes stayed on it. Techno, though still tense, lowered his sword to his side. “I chose to take the pay and not do the job. I… I want to help him. This is more than Dream has ever given me.”

Techno was seeing Punz’s reasons, but one of his questions still wasn’t answered. “I understand that, but why would I want to help?”

Punz looked back up from the sword. “Weren’t you two like brothers? What happened exactly?”

“He betrayed me, you were there.”

Punz shook his head. “I was there when he chose Tubbo. Doesn’t mean I have the context.”

Techno swelled. Finally someone wanted his side.

“Well, the first time I saw him after his exile was after he escaped said exile. He was burning under my house like a raccoon. I made a deal with him, that I would help him get his discs and that he would help me with some… minor terrorism. The details weren’t clear.” Techno leaned on a crafting bench as he waved his hand dismissively. “Either way, I helped him and even dived into the middle of like twenty people just to help him. Then he stands with Tubbo, his so-called ‘friend’ that exiled him in the first place, and leaves me to the wolves.”

Punz looked deep in thought, folding his arms. “What was your idea of ‘minor terrorism?’”

This is where Techno took pause. “Well, I did mention destroying L’Manburg but-”

“That’s why.” Punz interrupted. “Tommy may have been gunning for the discs but I know that he would never want to hurt Tubbo. Tubbo was president, hurting his country would hurt him. And on top of that, Tommy loved L’Manburg. He gave up his discs for it in the first war, though you weren’t here for that so I don’t blame you for not knowing.”

Techno saw the merit in the argument. His mind flashed back to the good times with Tommy, few as they were. Walking in the snow with playful banter. The minor terrorism. He had even had a bit of respect for Tommy before their splitting.

“I… want to think about this and talk to Phil.” Techno concluded, deciding to think more when Punz was gone.

Punz nodded. “Understandable. Just… send a message or something to let me know your answer.” He paused. “And if it helps… Dream is like a tyrant. Deciding what goes and what doesn’t. You can think of it as defying him.”

With that, Punz left Technoblade to his thoughts.

-

Punz would never normally do something out of kindness or anything of the like. He could justify himself by saying that Tommy paid him, that it was because of that and only that. But he knew deep in his heart he was guilty too. He could have turned the tide, he could have saved Tubbo. He liked Tubbo well enough. They had bonded over bees what seemed millions of years ago and they had always been friendly with each other outside of war. So while he did have an obligation because of the gifts he received, he was also guilty. He also kind of had some kind of respect for the kid, even if he would never admit it. He knew Techno felt the same.

That’s why Punz knew that Techno would help him.

At least, he hoped.

-

Techno sat on the windowsill, deep in thought. He could help save Tommy. But why would he? Tommy betrayed him, stole from him, and was just a general jerk. But they were sort of friends at one point. And Punz brought up some good points. Dream was a tyrant, that was for sure. He had just always teamed up with him to destroy the bigger government. 

And that’s not mentioning Punz’s other points. Tommy was obsessed with the discs and Tubbo, but also keeping L’Manburg safe. And while Techno was honest about his actions, they both avoided the subject of L’Manburg, only referring to that part of their deal with, “Minor terrorism.” Techno had never considered this before because he knew he was right. But with Tommy locked up and Punz bringing up these points, Techno was considering things he never would have before.

Oh, Techno knew he was still right of course. But maybe… other people had their reasons too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me the characters are slightly off okay, I'm trying for some Techno development and god damn it I know nothing about dsmp!Punz I have been staring at his dsmp Wiki for too long now. Still, feel free to criticize but please do so nicely, I want to know more but I hate getting all defensive. :) Sorry for all the cuts too, I just tend to like to keep to the bits that have more importance and cut out all the other stuff. It's something I'm trying to improve on.
> 
> Again I know Techno is a stubborn bastard but I really want character development.... please let me have this.


	3. "Maybe he didn’t have to wonder."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam could only wonder what this kid had gone through, probably in exile.  
> Maybe he didn’t have to wonder.

Tommy was, believe it or not, not a terrible prisoner. He was quiet, and he didn’t kill himself in the lava. Often. Anyway, Sam would normally expect himself to try and make an automatic feeder… but he felt Tommy needed some sort of human contact with people other than Dream, with the masked man restricting visitors. He was only a kid. So, Sam would bring him his raw potatoes himself. And he was even going to bring him a baked potato today, maybe help him open up. He seemed a bit rattled since Dream’s last visit, as Sam saw from a secret hatch he could peek through to check on prisoners. Sam was no therapist but he felt some kind of protectiveness towards the boy. Maybe it was because he saw the battered and grieving kid behind the normally loud and garish Tommy.

It was strange to see.

Sam waved his thoughts away as he stepped onto the moving bridge with Tommy’s food tray. It held a bottle of cold water, the previously mentioned baked potato, and an apple. Very good food compared to the normal. Sam was being very generous, what with delivering the food himself too. Traversing the lava filled room on the moving bridge made for an uncomfortably hot experience, but he didn’t dare remove his armor. As the warden of the prison he had a duty and damn him if he wasn’t gonna fulfill it.

After he reached the other side and after all the lava was finally back into place, Sam walked up to Tommy, placing the tray of food on the empty lectern next to the chest that he was sitting on.

Sam expected Tommy to rip into the food as he did most days but… Tommy was just staring. With wide and blank eyes, right at the wall. His chin was on his knees, giving him a downward angle. Sam kneeled down and tapped Tommy on the shoulder, careful not to hurt him. One hit and Tommy had to respawn. That would be a very rude awakening. 

Tommy, still in some sort of trance, started whispering. Sam leaned forward to hear.

“ _ I’m sorry Tubbo I’m sorry Wilbur I’m sorry Techno I’m sorry Dream I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry what did I do what did I do what did I do what did I do-” _

Sam jolted backwards, the sounds of the lava and the whispers blurring his mind. Sam wasn’t a therapist, he was just a prison warden. But this was definitely some type of PTSD. And now that he thought about it, why wouldn’t this kid be suffering from it? From his view everyone he loved or trusted in left him in some way. And apologizing to Dream of all people… Sam could only wonder what this kid had gone through, probably in exile.

Maybe he didn’t have to wonder.

Sam gently held Tommy’s shoulder, shaking him a bit. “Hey… Hey Tommy.”

Tommy finally looked at him, but it was with dying eyes. He blinked and suddenly the little bit of life that Sam saw whenever dropping off food was back. It took a lot not to sigh from relief.

“Tommy, I have your food for you.”

The kid glanced at the tray sitting on the lectern. “Baked potato? Cold water? An  _ apple _ ?” He asked, clearly bewildered. “Is this my last meal? Am I gonna be killed? Does Dream-”

Sam was initially surprised at Tommy speaking; he hadn’t said a word in weeks. But he supposed that the nice meal did seem out of nowhere to Tommy’s eyes, it seemed like a sign of death, surprising him into forgetting his vow of silence. “No, I just felt you needed a pick-me-up.”

Tommy glared at him suspiciously, clearly not trusting a word Sam was saying. Sam sighed. “Tommy, I know you don’t trust me and for good reason. But I honestly wanted to just do something nice for you. You seemed like you needed it.”

Tommy gave him a strange look and picked up the apple, staring at it then taking a big bite. After his initial taste, he devoured the apple, then the baked potato, then he chugged the water, as if he expected Sam to take it away before he could finish. Tommy wiped his mouth of the water and handed Sam the only remains, the empty bottle and an apple core on the tray. Sam gave Tommy an amused look, gaining him some sort of huff from the child. He returned the huff with a smile.

With that, Sam left the cell.

From that day forward, Sam always brought Tommy an extra nice meal after Dream visits.

-

Ranboo was wandering. After hearing of Tommy’s imprisonment, Ranboo left. He wished he had helped Tommy, somehow. But wishing would do nothing. EIther way, Tommy was in prison and Ranboo was lost. Both figuratively and literally. _ I just didn’t want to pick a side _ , he told himself. He wasn’t wrong, he really didn’t want to pick a side. But the one thing he did know was that Dream was one person that was definitely deserving of being sided against.

While lost in his thoughts, Ranboo had wandered far from the Dream SMP and was now lost in a snow biome. It was cold, but he could handle it. Or so he thought.

The snow fell harshly as Ranboo passed a village and he felt his eyes growing heavy. He rubbed at them, trying to wake himself up. But it didn’t help. For the first time since Ranboo entered the snow biome, he realized he was cold. Looking up, he saw a brown and grey blur, and then it all went dark.

-

Phil stalked out of Techno’s house with his hands up, feet crunching in the snow and repeating the same thing over and over. “Nope! No way are we gonna break into Pandora’s Vault!” Phill turned to face Techno, who had followed him out. “Tommy has done nothing for us, he even betrayed you.” He said, placing a finger on Techno’s chest while giving him a pointed look.

Techno gritted his teeth, removing Phil’s hand. “Yeah but what has Dream done for us? He’s a tyrant, the very thing we stand against. With L’Manburg gone, he’s the last tyrant left. Well, there’s Eret but he’s really just Dream’s puppet. I don’t like Tommy, trust me, but getting him out would put out a message. And just because he betrayed me… doesn’t mean I can’t understand what he did.” Techno’s voice got quieter as he said the last sentence, as if he was trying to stifle his words without not saying them.

Phil looked at Techno, shocked. A moment of silence fell across them, only interrupted by Techno clearing his throat, which brought the close friends back from the uncomfortable few seconds. Phil rolled his eyes, turning to look out across the snowy hills. “You reallyーwait a second…” Phil cut himself off, spotting a black spot across the otherwise white landscape. “Techno, what is that?

Techno unfolded his arms, instead leaning forward to squint. “No clue. I’m gonna take a look.” Ignoring Phil calling out advice to leave it alone, Techno made his way towards the black blob. As he got closer, he realized what it was. “Phil! It’s a kid!” 

Phil caught up to Techno, only a few seconds behind. The person was clearly not quite an adult yet, but they were no child. They had a weird split color scheme going on, with their skin and hair being half white and half black. With just a black suit, the kid was definitely frozen. “Fuck, it is. Whoever it is, they’re surely dead by now.” Phil put a hand on Techno’s shoulder, “C’mon, let’s go and continue our conversation.” 

Techno shrugged Phil’s hand off of his shoulder, scooping up the person instead. “Nah, I say we take them.” 

Phil wanted to facepalm, sigh, and give Techno a look all at once, but decided on accepting Techno’s abduction of this random teenager. “Is this just to spite me?”

As they walked back to the cabin, Techno’s silence was answer enough.

-

Ranboo yawned, waking slowly. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was snow… so much snow. He blinked, getting his bearings as he wiped at his eyes. He was on a bed next to some bookshelves and an enchantment table, an emerald block that housed a bell on top of it with a sign next to it that read, “CHANNEL MEMBER BELL”. 

Ranboo tilted his head, confused by the strange decor. But soon his attention was turned downwards as he heard muffled voices coming from below. Though reluctant to get out of the warm bed, Ranboo knew that he needed to know more. Also being left alone to his thoughts… never seemed to end well. Ranboo, now out of bed, peeked down the ladder to the floor below. Next to the opening of the ladder hole, the voices were much easier to hear. 

“Techno, this will only get us killed!” 

“Technoblade never dies! This will be a massive show of power! If we manage to infiltrate the prison and not only get out alive, but with the highest security prisoner in tow, then it will tell everyone that we are strong enough to do such a thing!”

“But there’s only two of us, how would we even start this?”

“Well, not exactly…”

Suddenly, a loud clang rang across the room, making the voices go silent. Ranboo was worried, until he realized that since he had been leaning downwards and that since his crown had been loose, it had fallen. (It was normally secured with a few clips, but it had come undone with getting frozen in the snow and all.) But the relieved feeling didn’t last.

The silence was becoming too much for the boy, so he took a risk and peeked down the hole, trying to get a real look instead of just eavesdropping. Though upside down, he saw a man with a scar across his face and long pink hair topped with a large crown, and a man with kind of medium blond hair that was tied into a very small braid under a green and white striped bucket hat. And they were staring right at him.

Spooked by their stares, he jumped and scrambled, ending up falling through the hole and onto the floor next to his poor crown and the ladder. He stared up at the two people, gulping. 

_ Oh no. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me if it's out of character hours... <3  
> I actually love writing this. The ideas flow and the farthest I've ever gotten on any story, fanfiction or not, published or not, is Six chapters, but even then I was writing with a friend and then we scrapped all of it and started over. Still haven't finished that. Anyway, the second place holder is four chapters, so let's hope I actually finish this wooo!! I'm really gonna try to add in the actual breakout, but there's gonna be quite a few chapters leading up to it. I need character development, dammit! I'll try my best to get at least there, but I can only do as much as my brain allows.  
> Last but not least, sorry for the cuts. In my head this is like a movie or a show and switching back and forth suits this story the best, and I want to separate the switches so it's less confusing, so bear with me please.
> 
> Anyway, hoped you like it, and feel free give suggestions or nicely worded criticisms in the comments :)

**Author's Note:**

> I swear I'm just going to keep making new works and leaving old ones behind but here I go anyways lol, I have a plot in mind but I'm winging most of this so bear with me. Also this will be the shortest chapter, as it is a prologue.


End file.
